


norwegian folk cures for frostbite (and other assorted tales)

by cerie



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Holiday, Norway - Freeform, Snowed In
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-16
Updated: 2012-12-16
Packaged: 2017-11-21 05:57:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/594226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cerie/pseuds/cerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“Sorry.  Skin to skin contact is the best way to warm you up.  I didn’t want you to die on me and I figured going to a hospital on Christmas Eve with hypothermia wasn’t the best idea for either of us.”</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	norwegian folk cures for frostbite (and other assorted tales)

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, everyone!

“It’s Christmas, Magnus.”

Will’s tone was slightly petulant and Helen rolled her eyes. The last place she wanted to be on Christmas Eve was out in the snow looking for a Norwegian Flying Reindeer but unfortunately this particular species was endangered and she needed to capture a buck in order to start a breeding program at the Sanctuary in Oslo. Since this was the only buck sighting she’s heard of in half a century, they’d needed to pack up and head to Finnmark country to track the damned thing.

Normally, it was very much tundra here and while the ground was frozen solid, there wasn’t much precipitation. A storm had blown in from the west and was wreaking havoc on the normal weather patterns, though, and brought with it heavy, wet snow and almost zero visibility. Helen usually liked the snow well enough but that was when skiing or within the warm, comfortable confines of her bedroom. Out in the snow on icy fields with Will was another story entirely.

“I know. Tell me if you spot him and we can go,” she managed through clenched teeth, eyes scanning the thinned-out woods and snow-filled plains for any sign of the creature. She’d been nearly ready to give up when Will let out a shout and pointed up, a grin on his face. The reindeer had outsmarted them all and taken to the sky, body forming a beautiful arc against the night sky. If it were clear, Helen imagined they’d be able to see the aurora highlighting it and casting even more magic on the scene. 

She moved slightly over a frozen lake to get a better aim with the net; the last thing she wanted was to miss because, really, they only had one shot at catching the thing and the crack of the net launcher masked the crack of the ice beneath her boots. She was vaguely aware of Will calling out for her before sliding into freezing water and she swore she’d never been so cold in her entire life.

And she’d lost the reindeer. Damn.

***

When Helen woke up, the first thing she was aware of was warmth. They’d booked a hotel room at a hotel in Hammerfest and the warm, soft scent of pine confirmed that’s where she was now. There was a thick down comforter on top of her and smooth, soft cotton sheets and an incredibly warm body spooned up behind her. Hmm. Helen squirmed a little and got an embarrassed laugh in response.

“Sorry. Skin to skin contact is the best way to warm you up. I didn’t want you to die on me and I figured going to a hospital on Christmas Eve with hypothermia wasn’t the best idea for either of us.” Helen was still warm and hazy from sleep and she merely nodded, happy to accept that explanation and curl in for a little longer until she had to actually face reality and wake up. She turned and slid up against him, her chest pressed against his and one leg worked between his thighs. Christ. The man was practically a furnace, wasn’t he? Helen had always tended toward being cold and wished she’d discovered this about her protege before now.

“Mm. Did we get the reindeer?” Will made a soft noise, negative, and Helen cursed beneath her breath. All that trouble and the damned thing had still gotten away. She tugged the blankets up higher and buried her face against the crook where Will’s neck and shoulder met. He smelled good, like soap and something a bit spicy beneath, warm and comforting. When he started rubbing one hand up and down her spine in a slow, careful path, Helen let her lips drift across his skin in a string of lazy, non-committal kisses. He could ignore them if he chose but considering the way his hand stilled against her back and his breath drew in, Helen doubted that he would.

“Magnus...you sure about this?” Helen wanted to laugh. As old as she was and as many lovers as she’d had over the past century and change, she was past being uncertain as to whether or not she wanted something. She hadn’t considered Will like this before now, no, but she was considering it _now_ and wouldn’t be opposed to it in the future. He was bright, warm, considerate and loving and those were things she always sought out in a partner.

Instead of responding in words, she merely pushed lightly at his shoulder to land him flat on his back and, careful not to dislodge the blankets covering them, met his mouth in a long, slow kiss. Kissing was always her favorite way to suss out the skill and desire of a new partner and Will had both in spades. When she parted her lips for him, he wasn’t tentative and instead wound a hand deep in her hair and tugged her down to him, lips and tongue seeking entrance and not taking no for an answer. For a subtle man, his kiss was bold, and it made Helen want more instead of shying away. When she managed to pull away, he frowned a bit and Helen had to laugh.

“Ridiculous. I’m not going far,” she promised, kissing just between his brows where they furrowed and she slid down beneath the blankets to lay kisses down his stomach and over each hip. By this point, she imagined Will had figured out what she was after and the hand was back in her hair, lightly petting instead of pulling as it had earlier. It was a pity. She’d liked the pulling.

She drew her tongue along his cock in one smooth stroke - light, but by no means tentative or shy. She blew lightly and took more than a little pleasure in the strangled, choked sound that elicited from Will before actually taking a bit of pity on him and drawing him into her mouth properly. She’d gotten quite the technique over the years and put it to use, licking and sucking and alternating between swallowing him deep and teasing just the head. His hand wound in her hair once more and pulled sharply after she’d been at it for a little while, startling her enough that she lifted her head and he left her mouth with a soft, audible pop.

“Yes?” The word was soft and coupled with a gentle arch of one brow. Will’s face was flushed and his eyes were dark, pupils blown out and making them look black instead of familiar blue and Helen was more than a little pleased with herself that she’d gotten that strong a reaction out of him. Apparently she _did_ still have it after all these years.

“Come _here_ ,” he murmured, tugging on her hair to pull her up and Helen obliged him, sliding up his body slowly and straddling his hips. Will groaned again and arched up against her, cock pressing against her thighs, and Helen rubbed against him lightly before leaning down to kiss him. The kiss this round wasn’t exploratory, it was hungry, and Will’s teeth caught her lower lip more than once before she pulled up for air. She could get lost in his kiss, and him, and she had to be careful to reserve herself before she ended up broken-hearted and alone again in a few decades. It always happened with her and no matter how hard she tried, her desire and love burned bright and fast and sex simply didn’t sate her without emotion behind it. The trouble with Will was that she _could_ fall for him, deeply, and be lost for a little while once she lost him.

“Are you certain?” As bold as she’d been before, she was a little more cautious now and Will nodded slowly. “Oh yeah. Completely sure.” He waited a few moments and brushed his hand back against her cheek. “As long as you are?”

It was hesitant and sweet enough that Helen had her answer and slid onto him slowly, trying to memorize every single second of how it felt to have him inside her. She wasn’t quite as ready as she could have been and Will seemed to sense that, keeping his thrusts slow and working one thumb over her clitoris while he lifted his other hand to cup and tease her breast. She’d always loved this particular position and now was no exception to the rule; Helen took a certain amount of pleasure from knowing she was on display and unable to hide from her partner and, conversely, that her partner was completely consumed by the sight of her.

The orgasm was slow, rising up and washing over her almost by surprise and she gasped lightly before tilting her head back, riding out the sensations and trying to draw out a counter from Will. He obliged her in that as well as he obliged her in anything else, a harsh cry passing his lips as he arched his hips one last time and came. He let her ride out the rest of it before tugging her down against his chest and pulling the blankets over her, ensuring she wouldn’t get cold once again.

“Well. That’s certainly one way to combat frostbite. Well done, Will.” The laugh was harsh and a little incredulous and Helen joined him with her own giggles, unable to calm down for a few minutes. She’d only barely caught her breath when she heard his reply, cheeky and not entirely becoming of a protege. It was, instead, the assumption of an equal and a partner and what she infinitely preferred in her bed over someone inexperienced.

“You make the worst jokes in the history of the world, Magnus. 150+ years and that’s all you can come up with? Really?”

Rather than take any more of his cheek, she kissed him again, long and slow and with the confidence of a lover, not a mentor or a friend.


End file.
